Geny's was established in Nashville in the early 1920s but had its roots in Middle Tennessee long before that. In 1858, Leon and John Geny arrived in Nashville from Alsace, France to design the gardens at the Belmont Estate of Joseph Acklen. When the magnificent project was completed, John Geny set out to teach French in the local area, but what in hindsight appears to be a stroke of good luck, he could not find a teaching position. The first greenhouse was built on land received as a wedding present at Warren and Jackson streets. Additional sales were handled at Market Square where the Farmers Market now stands. Geny's began by serving the growing retail florist market and eventually opened four retail shops in the area and wholesale locations in Jackson, TN, and Athens, AL. Today, Geny's Flowers and Wholesale is owned and operated by a new generation of local Nashville residents.
